WASHINGTON — On Thursday, a Florida man, who in January of 2021 attended school in Washington, D.C., was found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
Editor's Note: The video above was published March 3, 2023.
Vitali GossJankowski, 34, a former student at Washington D.C.’s Gallaudet University, was found guilty of multiple felonies for his role in disrupting a joint session of the United States Congress.
Authorities say GossJankowski was captured on surveillance cameras, officer body-worn cameras, and other rioter’s cell phone videos interfering with officers by pushing them, spitting at them, and pulling at their protective shields.
He also joined in with other rioters who were passing the officer’s protective shields away from the officers, pushing against the officers' line, and beckoning for more people to enter the tunnel against the officers.
A jury convicted GossJankowski of obstructing, impeding, or interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder, corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding before Congress, forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, or interfering with a law enforcement officer on account of his official duties.
He was also convicted of misdemeanor offenses related to knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, knowingly disrupting the orderly conduct of government business in a restricted building or grounds, and knowingly engaging in disruptive or disorderly conduct inside a Capitol Building or on Capitol Grounds.
According to trial evidence, GossJankowski travelled from the Ellipse, where former President Trump held a speech, to the United States Capitol, making his way into the tunnel leading to the Lower West Terrace.
He was one of the first individuals to enter through the Lower West Terrace outer door.
Authorities say GossJankowski stood near other rioters as they used poles to strike a line of officers attempting to stop rioters from entering the building and observed other rioters breaking a glass door with a “Members Entrance Only” sign embedded within it.
This is when GossJankowski was captured on various cameras assaulting officers.
Later, when two officers were pulled into the crowd, GossJankowski pushed his way through the crowd just outside the tunnel and grabbed an officer with the United States Capitol Police by his helmet.
He then pulled the officer close and reached toward the officer with what would later be called a taser. The officer suffered no additional harm and would later be escorted out of the crowd where he then returned to the Capitol to continue battling rioters attempting to enter the building
This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, with assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department of the United States Capitol Police.
Since January 6, 2021, authorities claim more than 999 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, for crimes related to the breach of the United State Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
The investigation remains open.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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